When Patrick Kenny didn't attend last week, Judge Brian Sheridan noted that "Boherbue wasn't exactly the other side of the moon" and granted a bench warrant for Mr Kenny's arrest.

This came after solicitor Paul Karney said Mr Kenny, of Lahern, Boherbue, had phoned his office the day previously to say he could not afford to get a taxi to court.

In court this Tuesday, Garda James Lawton said that Mr Kenny had, by appointment, arrived to court, where he was then arrested on foot of the bench warrant.

Mr Kenny was charged and pleaded guilty to being drunk in public at Gneeves, Boherbue on May 15, 2013, as well as engaging in abusive, threatening and or insulting language or behaviour.

Garda Lawton said on May 15, 2013, he received a call from two motorists that there was a "man dead" on the road. He said when he met Mr Kenny, he was intoxicated and was a danger to traffic and to himself. He said that he had asked him to move on, Mr Kenny had become abusive and had called him "a f***** pr**k".

"He did make an attempt to assault me," said Garda Lawton, who then used pepper spray on the 56 year old man.

Mr Karney conceded that Mr Kenny was drunk but said he was apologetic. He said his client has not consumed alcohol since the public order incident.